Brian Lohan has named his side to face the All-Ireland Champions Limerick, in the first round of the Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League.
By Adam Maloney
A bundle of fresh faces have been named in the Banner’s first fixture of the year, as only two players from the narrow defeat to Kilkenny six months stay on the starting sheet, Cratloe man Diarmuid Ryan, and Young Hurler of the Year for 2023 Mark Rodgers.
Shannon native Lohan begins his sixth year at the realm, with a tough test against the Shannonside rivals, as he names three debutants in his starting fifteen.
Conn Smyth’s exceptional performances at club level for Feakle has lodged him a place at Centre-Back for the encounter at the new Clarecastle astro facility.
Superior club runs from Clonlara and Corofin to Munster club finals have aided the opportunity for previous Clare underage hurlers Colm O’Meara and Diarmuid Cahill in the starting line-up, as they are both named in attack.
Five additional debutants could also feature in the clash, as David Tuohy (Clarecastle), Dylan McMahon (Clonlara), Gearoid Sheedy (Ogonnelloe), Keelan Hartigan (Scariff), and Steven Conway (Feakle) have been granted spots among the replacements.
For the opposition, only two players from the All-Ireland winning side against Kilkenny in 2023 are selected in the matchday squad, as Dan Morrissey captains the side from Full-Back, whilst his brother Tom is named amongst the bench.
Clare:
1. Éamonn Foudy (Inagh/Kilnamona)
2. John Conneally (Clooney/Quin)
3. Conor Leen (Corofin)
4. Paul Flanagan (Ballyea)
5. Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones na Sionna)
6. Conn Smyth (Feakle)
7. Cian Galvin (Clarecastle)
8. David Conroy (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield)
9. Diarmuid Ryan (Cratloe)
10. Colm O’Meara (Clonlara)
11. David Reidy (Éire Óg, Ínis)
12. Shane Meehan (The Banner)
13. Keith Smyth (Killanena)
14. Mark Rodgers (Scariff)
15. Diarmuid Cahill (Corofin)
Substitutes:
16. Cian Broderick (Clarecastle)
17. David Tuohy (Clarecastle)
18. Dylan McMahon (Clonlara)
19. Gearoid Sheedy (Ogonnelloe)
20. Jack Kirwan (Parteen-Meelick)
21. Keelan Hartigan (Scariff)
22. Oran Cahill (Éire Óg, Ínis)
23. Paddy Donnellan (Broadford)
24. Peter Duggan (Clooney/Quin)
25. Ross Hayes (Crusheen)
26. Steven Conway (Feakle)
Limerick:
1. David McCarthy (Glenroe)
2. Emmet McEvoy (Na Piarsiagh)
3. Dan Morrissey © (Ahane)
4. Fergal O’Connor (Effin)
5. Mark Quinlan (Garryspillane)
6. Ronan Connolly (Adare)
7. Ciarán Barry (Ahane)
8. Barry Murphy (Doon)
9. Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown)
10. Micheál Houlihan (Kilmallock)
11. Patrick O’Donovan (Effin)
12. Cathal O’Neill (Crecora/Manister)
13. Donnacha O’Dálaigh (Monaleen)
14. Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock)
15. Adam English (Doon)
Substitutes:
16. Jamie Power (Monaleen)
17. Aaron Costelloe (Kilmallock)
18. Joe Fitzgerald (Monaleen)
19. David Fitzgerald (Kildimo/Pallaskenry)
20. Luke Flynn (Granagh/Ballingarry)
21. Ethan Hurley (Newcastle West)
22. Mike Keane (Adare)
23. Darragh Langan (Monaleen)
24. Liam Lynch (Mungret/St. Paul’s)
25. Tom Morrissey (Ahane)
26. Oisín O’Reilly (Kilmallock)
